Page 17 of Flames of Desire

CHAPTER EIGHT - RECKLESS FLAMES

Icouldn’t believe it. Lily was lying right next to me, just a few feet away. I could hear the soft sound of her breathing, and it only made me want to turn toward her and drag her close to me.

Suddenly, the window blew open, and I remembered that I hadn’t checked on the windows in the room when I was closing all the windows in the cabin. Lily shuddered, and I quickly sprang up from the bed to close the window. I locked it firmly in place and made my way back to the bed.

The chill still lingered, and I suggested to Lily that we go under the covers so we wouldn’t freeze to death.

“Lily, it's freezing. We should get under the covers before we turn into ice sculptures.”

She hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Yeah, okay. That sounds like a good idea.”

Once under the covers, Lily’s warmth practically drew me closer to her, and our bodies met, but she flinched away. I simply stayed still, unsure of what to do. After a moment of silence, Lily spoke my name. She spoke so softly, and if it wasn’t so quiet, I doubt I would have heard her.

“Alex?”

“Yeah?” I answered.

“Do you think… do you think it would be okay if we, um, cuddled? Just for the sake of body heat?”

I didn’t know what to say at first. My thoughts were all over the place, but in the end, how could I say anything but yes?

“Sure, Lily. I mean, if it helps keep us warm.”

After a moment, I felt Lily begin to shift toward me again. As soon as our bodies came in contact again, I felt something ignite inside of me, and I slowly reached out to hug her close. The feeling of her warmth against my body sent shivers down my spine that practically rivaled the cold, and I found myself dragging her closer till her head rested on my chest.

This was too much for me, and I could feel my consciousness slipping. I softly whispered to her. “Lily?”

“Mmm?” she asked, in clear confusion.

“I’m sorry.” I sighed.

“You’re sorry?” She asked, “What for?”

I moved back a little bit, causing her to look up at me. I could still make out her silhouette, and as I took in a breath and inhaled her scent, I couldn’t help myself anymore and quickly captured her lips in a passionate kiss of longing.

Her breath hitched, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she kissed me back, her lips moving against mine with a passion that matched my own.

Her lips were soft, and the taste of her left me wanting more. We kissed deeply, the tension between us growing with each passing second. Lily’s hands found their way to my hair, tugging gently, sending waves of electricity through my body. I could feel her heartbeat racing against my chest, matching my own.

As we broke apart for air, our foreheads rested against each other. The room was silent except for the sound of our heavy and uneven breathing.

“Alex,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

“Yeah?”

She sighed, her fingers tracing patterns on my chest. The touch was light, but it sent sparks through me. I couldn’t help but pull her closer, feeling her warmth seep into me. The cold that had gripped us earlier was a distant memory now.

“Do you… do you feel this too?” she asked, her voice barely audible.

“Feel what?”

“This… connection. Like everything just makes sense.”

I smiled, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. “Yeah, I feel it too. I just wasn’t sure you felt it.”

Her eyes met mine, and for a moment, everything else faded away. There was just Lily and me, wrapped up in a moment that felt like it was meant to be. I leaned in and kissed her again, softer this time, savoring the feel of her lips on mine.

Everything about her at that moment felt amazing to me: her scent, her voice, her lips, and even how she felt in my arms. Her hands were buried in my hair, and her legs had slowly begun to wrap around my hips.

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